Best Ports for all Budgets

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Best Ports for all Budgets

Think you know port? Think again...

Enjoying a glass of Port over the festive feast is one of our oldest and most cherished Christmas traditions. But Port is far too delicious to drink only at Christmas. And if you've always stuck to the same old generic supermarket Port each year, some of the styles available may surprise you.

Try a glass of White Port, for example, chilled straight from the fridge. You won't regret it. So, whether you're looking to pick the perfect Port for your budget this Christmas, or you'd like to find out more about one of the world's greatest dessert wines, read on.

What style of Port is best for you?

For a full breakdown of the different styles of Port, check out our Port Wine Styles Explained blog. But here's a quick summary of the main styles to look out for.

Fine Ruby – a young, fruity Port, bottled young to capture its rich raspberry and blackberry flavours. Uncomplicated (by Port standards) and deliciously moreish.

Vintage Port – the 'King of Ports', made only in the best years and built to be aged in bottle for decades. Sweet, rich and smooth, with intense fruit and complex savoury notes.

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) – a great-value alternative to Vintage Port. LBV is aged for several years in barrel, so it is ready to drink earlier than a traditional Vintage Port.

Aged Tawny – the 'Queen of Ports', aged for decades in barrel until it develops a golden-brown colour and complex flavours of nuts, caramel, cloves and figs.

White Port – made from different grapes to traditional Port, this rare treasure can be dry or sweet and offers gorgeous flavours of apricot, baked apple and sweet toasted nuts.

How long can Port be kept once opened?

We'll revisit these styles below as we explore the best Ports for every budget. But first, let's clear up a common misconception. Port, unlike spirits such as whisky or gin, will not last for months once opened. So don't expect that dusty old bottle you opened last year to be drinkable.

You can keep a Ruby, LBV or Vintage Port for about two weeks, and a Tawny Port will last for up to three weeks. Just make sure you reseal it and keep it in a cool, dark place.

The best Port for £15 or under

Baronesa de Vilar White Port
Let’s start the list with that often-overlooked luxury, White Port. It’s a style that had fallen out of fashion until recently, but delicious and affordable examples like this are bringing it back to life. Bursting with freshness, with notes of sweet toffee, candied orange and a lemon lift, it’s outstanding as an apéritif or with desserts such as crème brûlée or tarte tatin. Serve chilled.

Why choose this Port? If you love dessert wines, White Port is simply a must-try.

The best Ports for £20 or under

Andresen Fine Ruby Port
As well as offering great value, Ruby is the best Port for beginners as it is young and fruity (aged for no more than two years) and deliciously easy to drink. This example is from Andresen, one of the last remaining family-owned Port houses, and makes a delightful after-dinner tipple, delicious on its own or with mature Stilton.

Why choose this Port? It's a great-value Port that's perfect for beginners.

Andresen Late Bottled Vintage Port
Andresen's Late Bottled Vintage is a really smart choice if you want to enjoy the classic Vintage Port style without the hefty price tag, or the wait. Unfiltered to retain every element of flavour and colour from the wine, it needs the same treatment as a top Vintage Port. Stand the bottle upright for a few hours to allow the sediment to settle then a decant carefully and an hour before drinking, to allow its aromas to open out.

Why choose this Port? It's a great-value alternative to pricey Vintage Port.

Andresen 10-Year-Old White Port
This list wouldn't be complete without that often-overlooked luxury, White Port. It's a style usually drunk in its youth, but Andresen realised it could offer much more complexity when allowed to age. Sweet and nutty with an abundance of dried-fruit flavours, it is outstanding as an apéritif, or with desserts such as crème brûlée or tarte tatin. Serve chilled.

Why choose this Port? White Port is a must-try for any sweet and dessert wine lovers.

The best Port for £25 or under

António José da Silva Tawny Port
With its warm amber colour and complex nutty, dried-fruit flavours, Tawny Port is, quite simply, Christmas in a glass. This fine example was made exclusively for us by Álvaro van Zeller, whose family have been in the wine trade for 14 generations. Aged for many years in wood, it's delicious alongside a cheeseboard or with roasted chestnuts.

Why choose this Port? It offers great value and is the perfect introduction to Tawny Port.

The best Port for £30 or under

Taylor's 10-Year-Old Tawny Port
Dating back to 1692, Taylor's is one of the most famous Port houses, with a stellar reputation for both Vintage and Tawny Ports. Awarded a Gold Medal at the Fortified Masters, this Tawny is a delicious blend from many casks, long aged in Taylor's extensive cool cellars in Oporto. Bottled for immediate drinking, it combines delicate wood notes with rich aromas of mature fruit.

Why choose this Port? An award-winning Tawny Port from one of the great Port houses

The best Port for £35 or under

Croft Porto Vintage Quinta da Roêda 2005
Croft is another of the great historic Port houses, and this is a rare single-estate Vintage Port from the famous Quinta da Roêda. Now over 20 years old, it is fully mature with "an enchanting bouquet of black cherries, violets, rose petals, blood orange and garrigue" (Neal Martin). As you'd expect with a Port of this age, there will be sediment, so stand the bottle upright a few hours so the sediment drops to the bottom, then decant the Port carefully before serving.

Why choose this Port? A perfectly mature Vintage Port from one of the top Port houses.

The best Port for £40 or under

Fonseca Guimaraens Port 2012
Crafted by one of the Douro Valley's greatest houses, Fonseca Guimaraens 2012 is a superb expression of a vintage that delivered freshness, purity and exceptional definition. Made from hand-picked grapes grown in some of Fonseca's finest vineyards, it is plush and powerful, combining ripe dark fruit with Fonseca's trademark chocolatey richness.

Why choose this Port? A classic, full-bodied Vintage Port presented in a smart wooden box.

The best 'money-no-object' Port

Croft Vintage Port 2003
The House of Croft produced the earliest known Vintage Port in 1781, and its wines have been favoured by the great and the good, including royalty, ever since. So, if money is no object, why not treat yourself to a deliciously mature Croft Vintage Port from a great vintage?

Decanter magazine wrote of the 2003 Port vintage: "the wines look well-structured and certainly long-lived." With layers of rich berry fruit, this is delicious now and will cellar beautifully for another two decades.

Why choose this Port? A beautifully mature Vintage Port from one of the most famous houses.

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Best Ports for every budget in 2026